12 things you can change in your life right now to prevent suicidal thoughts

When days are dark and friends are few, thinking about ending life is definitely not what you should do!

We’ve all gone through that phase when life tends to start hitting you hard and beating you down into a dark little cringy corner. But thinking of that as the end and accepting your fate isn’t the best way to go about it, fighting against all odds and getting back up is the warrior’s way, the best way.

“Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place and I don’t care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard ya hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done!” – Sylvester Stallone, Rocky Balboa

Now that we’ve got a little inspiration kicking in, let’s highlight a few tips or pieces of advice that can help you have a change of heart if thought of suicide have been lurking or help you if you know someone suicidal and need to help them.

Promise yourself to not act in the moment – This is the easiest and most effective way to avoid the thought of ending your life and/or doing anything stupid without sufficient thought. All you need to do is promise yourself that you will give yourself enough time between the thought that has occurred to you and acting upon that thought. In this very window, the tips that follow will work their magic and show you why suicide is not the right option.

Stay Sober – If you’re having wayward thoughts about life and aren’t feeling too sure about living altogether in a sober state, then taking it to the next level and consuming substances that would intoxicate you is DEFINITELY a no no. In simple words, don’t get drunk/ stoned when you’re having such negative thoughts. Instead stay sane and take the bull by its horns and tackle the situation.

Fool Proof (YOU Proof) your home – Ensure you make your home 100 % Safe. What this basically means is get rid of all the pills, knives, razors and other items that you could potentially use to inflict self-harm. It’s better to be safe than sorry, don’t you think!

Seek out a close friend – You could find that friend even within your family or social circle. When you know someone genuinely cares about you, don’t be afraid to share your experience with them and let them know how you feel. Not only will you feel better, but there will also be someone else to watch you and make sure things get better in your life. You won’t really be as ‘alone’ as you think if you let someone in, all you need to do is take a step in that direction.

Responding quickly in a crisis – This one is for the friends and family that know someone suicidal or have been sought out to speak about their suicidal tendency. You need to be able to respond quickly in a crisis and more importantly foresee the crisis.

Safety Plan – Before the thoughts get consistent and grave, in the initial stages itself you need to chart out a Safety plan with a procedure on what to do if you feel suicidal and want to go ahead with the thought. List down your reasons to live and make a checklist of things to get out of the house such as knives, ropes, etc. When the moment arrives, fall back on the safety plan and reason your way out of this. You know you’re better than this!

Turn your attention to other activities – You don’t really need to keep thinking about the unthinkable, sometimes something to divert the attention works WONDERS. A swim or a gym membership could be the key to getting your mind off things and getting that pent up energy or frustration out. You could even take up a sport and find your true calling or a new reason to wake up every morning. Personally though, I think this would make one of the best excuses to visit the dog shelter and spend a few hours with the puppies! Think it over.

Don’t keep your thoughts to yourself – When thoughts like these come your way, the worst mistake you can make is to keep them to yourself and sit on them. An idle mind is a devil’s workshop after all and you don’t need to give the devil your case or it isn’t going to end well! You can start by sharing your basic thoughts on happenings around you with anyone you truly trust from your family or friend circle. Build on this sharing and eventually let them know how you feel about life and don’t be afraid to let them in. A good ear will only make things better & help bring you out of this low that life has thrown your way.

Stay Away from Triggers – You know you’re in a sensitive spot and at a vulnerable state. The best thing to do right now is to stay away from things or people that can trigger suicidal behavior in you. It could be a book or movie with a dark theme or a negative plot, it could be a person who is physically or emotionally abusive or it could even be a stressful situation. Your best bet would be to steer clear of such triggers that could ignite the spark of suicidal thoughts. One thing could lead to another so it’s best not to go there.

Don’t be alone – When you’re this vulnerable, it’s best to stay occupied and keep your mind off things. Surrounding yourself with people is always a safe bet, because that way you get to be watched over and make sure you don’t do anything stupid. If you lie alone in a corner it’s only a matter of time before you get sick of what’s been happening and your thoughts begin to amplify. Don’t be alone. Pile onto people if you have to but get out, get social.

Work on loving yourself – At this point, this may sound like a joke to you but trust me there is no one who is going to be with you forever…except yourself. You can be your own best friend and when there’s no one else to fall back on, you’ll still have you. Exercise, groom yourself and work on yourself to become the best version of you. When you’re putting in effort, you won’t want to end what you’re aiming towards by thinking on the lines of suicide. Instead, you’ll look forward to tomorrow.

Find a Support Group – If you have a few people you can confide in, then list them down as your go to list for people you can talk to when suicidal thoughts arise. If you don’t have such a couple of friends you can go to for a discussion, there’s plenty of support groups out there with people suffering from the same thing as you. Bonding with likeminded people can help get your mind off things and show you what you’re becoming and what you shouldn’t be, just like a mirror. Don’t be afraid to talk.

These tips should help, but if your problem persists then definitely don’t be alone & lay off intoxication. Seek professional help and talk to someone who is qualified to council you in the right direction and bring your life back on track. Remember, it isn’t the end of the world…even 2012 wasn’t!

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